Ring! Ring!
“Hello.”
“Hello, Parson, it’s me Amanda.”
“Hello, Amanda, how are things with you?”
“We’re really doing well. I hope you are, too.”
“I am doing well, Amanda. And if I weren’t it would be my fault.”
“That’s funny parson.”
“What’s up, Amanda?”
“What I called you about, Parson, is a friend of mine. Well, she’s not really a friend. I guess it would be more appropriate to call her an acquaintance. But, anyway, I’ve known her a while. Gracious, I guess I’ve known her for ten of twelve years. So, recently her husband abandoned her. I mean he really abandoned her. He just disappeared one day. Anyway, she’s in a horrible shape. She needs some food and some help with her electric bill. She just needs someone to help her get a new start.”
There was a pause. Silence. Finally, the parson said, “Amanda, are you still here.”
“I”m here, Parson. I was waiting for you to say something.”
“What did you want me to say?”
“Well, I thought you would say that the church would be willing to help her out?”
“What would helping her out look like, Amanda?”
“Well, she said if she could get $275 she could make it until her paycheck comes in.”
“You want the church to give her $275?”
“I was hoping the church could do that.”
The parson paused. Who knows what got into the parson. Sometimes, being the senior citizen he is, he gets cranky. Sometimes, after having served a half century in the church he gets jaded. Sometimes, he wishes the church would go take a flying leap. Sometimes he …. Whatever it might be, the parson, in this particular case, had had enough.
“Amanda,” asked the parson. “Do you remember a few months ago when we were talking about some issues in your life?”
“Yes, you were very helpful.”
“Do you remember telling me your average income was $20,000 a month?”
“Yes, I told you that.”
“And your friend needs $275 to make it to her next paycheck, right?”
“Yes, she does.”
“You’re calling me to see if the church could give her the $275?”
“I thought that’s what the church’s indigent fund was for.”
“Amanda, repeat after me: ‘Goodbye, Parson.’”
Amen Parson
Posted by: Sally | February 17, 2014 at 06:21 AM
Preach!
Posted by: Rev. Paul M. Turner | February 17, 2014 at 10:47 AM
After 38 years of pastoring I'm still never sure if I am being taken or doing the right thing by giving money to folks who seem to have "needs". I do appreciate a creative story.
Posted by: Tom Potenza | February 17, 2014 at 07:30 PM